United States goalkeeper Matt Turner has urged fans of the Copa America hosts not to forget the value of results ahead of Thursday's clash with Panama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The USA got their Group C campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over Bolivia, with Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun on target.
Some believed Gregg Berhalter's side should have recorded a more comprehensive victory as they racked up 20 shots on goal to Bolivia's six.
Nottingham Forest shot-stopper Turner, though, says tournament wins should not be taken for granted.
"We'll never have that luxury. I think you take wins when you can get wins, no matter the context," Turner said.
"You take the result, especially in tournament play, it's the end all be all. I implore people to not lose sight of that.
"Obviously, we wish we did some things better, but that's what tournaments are about. You want to improve and get better throughout the tournament and keep growing as a team, and a bond and a culture.
"At the end of the day, we got a clean sheet, we scored two goals and we won. Going into this next match, we know we might have to be a little bit better if we want to win."
Panama, meanwhile, were beaten 3-1 by Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay in their opening match, with Amir Murrillo netting a late consolation after Maximiliano Araujo, Darwin Nunez and Matias Vina scored for the 15-time winners.
"I think we had too much respect for Uruguay, in the first half there were too many mistakes," head coach Thomas Christiansen said.
"They're a great team that you have to respect, but I think in moments we were afraid of making a mistake.
"In the second half, we showed this team is alive with enthusiasm and desire. Now it's time to make another big effort against the United States before ending with Bolivia."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Panama – Amir Murillo
Murillo netted a late consolation against Uruguay, also recording the most touches (62) and joint-most touches in the penalty area (four, also Jose Fajardo) of any Panama player in their opening match.
That game saw Panama surpass 250 completed passes in a Copa America game for the first time. They will not be pushovers in Atlanta, but if they are to really trouble the hosts, they need wing-back Murillo to contribute in the attacking third.
United States – Christian Pulisic
Pulisic provided a goal and an assist as the USA beat Bolivia in their Group C opener, becoming the first American to score and assist in a single Copa America match since Clint Dempsey did so twice in 2016, versus Ecuador and Costa Rica.
Pulisic averages 0.93 goal contributions per 90 minutes in competitive matches for his country, the highest rate in their history (minimum 1,500 minutes played).
The Milan winger also recorded the most line-breaking passes in the attacking third of any player during Group C's first set of games, with four.
Until the USA's first match, only Rodrigo De Paul of Argentina had reached that figure in the tournament's opening round of fixtures.
MATCH PREDICTION: UNITED STATES WIN
After beating Bolivia, the USA could start a Copa America tournament with back-to-back victories for the very first time.
Only once before have they managed successive wins in the competition, winning three games in a row up to the quarter-finals in 2016, as they finished fourth on home soil.
They have never lost or even conceded a goal to CONMEBOL opponents at the Copa America, drawing 0-0 with Mexico in the 1995 quarter-finals before triumphing on penalties, and routing Costa Rica 4-0 in the group stage in 2016.
The USA have only failed to score in one of their previous 19 matches against Panama on home soil, in a goalless draw in New Jersey in the 2005 Gold Cup final, which they won via spot-kicks.
With home advantage on their side, we expect more joy for the USA on Thursday.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Panama – 22.6%
United States – 54.7%
Draw – 22.7%
Alonso hails Leverkusen rearguard after stubborn Bayern display
Xabi Alonso was proud of his Bayer Leverkusen players after they produced a resolute defensive performance to earn a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Bayern Munich.
After Robert Andrich gave Leverkusen the lead, Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlovic levelled with a stunning half-volley from 25 yards out which gave goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky no chance.
Bayern, who had won all four of their previous league games under Vincent Kompany, had 18 shots to Leverkusen's three and almost 70% of the possession.
That is the fewest shots Leverkusen have attempted in any of their 98 competitive matches under Alonso, while they also generated just 0.07 expected goals (xG) to Bayern's 1.32.
Despite their lack of attacking threat, Alonso was delighted with his side's defensive resilience, saying: "The energy and belief at Bayern is different to last season, they are going full throttle with and against the ball.
"That was very tough today. We can be happy with the point. I needed more energy from the team.
"I'm happy with that. We were ready to suffer and we did that. We need the discipline and passion of the players.
"It wasn't easy, we didn't have control of the ball. It was a challenge to defend. The point is important... The whole team did very well. We hardly had a chance to breathe but I'm very proud of my players."
Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka, who provided the assist for the opener, said their main strategy was to be compact and deny Bayern opportunities to score.
"We are self-critical. If you score three goals every game, that's not enough. If we play well today and switch gears, we can do something," Xhaka said.
"Defensively, we put in a good performance. The goal today was to be compact and concede little. You can certainly do more with the ball and everyone knows that we can do more. If someone had told us before the game that we would get a point, we would have taken it."
Leverkusen will next turn their attention to the Champions League, when they host AC Milan on Tuesday.
Motta defends Juventus talisman Vlahovic after Genoa brace
Juventus boss Thiago Motta lashed out at those criticising striker Dusan Vlahovic after he scored twice in the Bianconeri's 3-0 win over Genoa on Saturday.
Juve continued their fine start to life under Motta with a routine victory at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, Vlahovic netting twice before Francisco Conceicao added a late third.
They have kept a clean sheet in each of their first six matches of a Serie A season for the very first time, also scoring at least twice in five of their last eight games, having done so only once in their previous eight.
Despite Juve's strong run of form, Vlahovic has attracted criticism from some quarters.
Only Christian Pulisic (six) and Marcus Thuram (five) have bettered his four goals in Serie A this term, though, with the Serbian also helping himself to a brace versus Verona.
Motta heaped praise upon Vlahovic after the win, also hailing his defensive work as he said: "No goals conceded is a team effort.
"Scoring goals starts well with [goalkeeper Mattia] Perin and not conceding goals starts with Vlahovic.
"We have a group that wants to defend to have the ball and recover it. This is very important, a team must be solid to aspire to something great."
Motta then added: "Honestly, I think you pay too much attention to a single player. He has always been very good.
"I understand the expectations and needs of a striker at this level. But as I said from the beginning, he is a positive leader who helps a lot.
"I am happy because he scored but I was also happy when he didn't. He must improve and be more connected with the team because he is an important player in many aspects of our game. He is fine and must continue to work as he is doing".
Vlahovic, who has more games with multiple goals than any other player across the last six Serie A seasons (19), said: "The most important thing is that we won and we want to continue like this.
"It's no problem, people talk. If you score you're the best, if you don't you're the worst. It's up to me to respond on the pitch and I will certainly do so.
"Sometimes there are fewer opportunities. People expect me to solve the games and that's normal, I don't run away. I always do everything 100%.
"I'm super calm and I will always give my all on the pitch. For a striker when you don't score it's difficult, but today we won and that's the only thing that matters."
Kompany hopes Kane injury against Leverkusen is 'nothing serious'
Vincent Kompany is hopeful Harry Kane's knock is nothing serious, after the Bayern Munich striker limped off during the 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen.
The England captain, who did not register a single shot during the game, was injured in a collision late on at the Allianz Arena, where Aleksandar Pavlovic cancelled out Robert Andrich's earlier effort.
The stalemate saw Bayern drop their first points of the Bundesliga season, while they turn their attention back to the Champions League with a trip to face Aston Villa in midweek.
Whether Kane features at Villa Park remains to be seen, but Kompany hopes his forward is fit for a return to England.
"I'm not a doctor, but I hope it's nothing serious," the Bayern boss told Sky Sports. "It's still early to say. Hopefully, he'll be fit for Wednesday."
Although Bayern's 100% start to the league campaign is no more, Kompany saw plenty of positives in his side's display.
"As a Bayern coach, you always want to win," he added. "But the performance was as we'd hoped. The counter-pressing was positive, we won the second balls, we created so many chances.
"Normally, in such a game, you don't create many chances, but we did. It was a top game, but there are still many games to go. We just have to keep going."
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